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![The Bitter Taste of Dying: A Memoir by [Jason Smith, Thought Catalog]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/512uC7CJI5L._SY346_.jpg)
The Bitter Taste of Dying: A Memoir Kindle Edition
Jason Smith (Author) Find all the books, read about the author, and more. See search results for this author |
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While teaching in Europe, he meets a prostitute who secures drugs for him at the dangerous price of helping out the Russian mafia; in China, he gets his Percocet and Xanax fix but terrifies a crowd of children and parents at his job in the process; and in Mexico, Smith thought a Tijuana jail cell would be the perfect place to kick his Fentanyl habit, but soon realizes that the power of addiction is stronger than his desire to escape it.
The Bitter Taste of Dying paints a portrait of the modern day drug addict with clarity and refreshing honesty. With a gritty mixture of self-deprecation and light-hearted confessional, Smith’s memoir deftly describes the journey into the harrowing depths of addiction and demonstrates the experience of finally being released from it.
Praise for THE BITTER TASTE OF DYING
"Jason is a great writer who's clearly done the life-destroying research that I can relate to. This is the voice of a new generation of drug addicts." – Jerry Stahl, NY Times bestselling author of Permanent Midnight and Happy Mutant Baby Pills
"This memoir grabs you by the throat on the first page and doesn't let go until you're done, in one sitting--gasping for breath because you know, finally, what it's like to be a drug addict without having been one yourself. Jason Smith is a gifted writer offering no excuses for the damage he did on his harrowing 16-year journey into prescription drug hell, a huge, hidden problem in America today. Read The Bitter Taste of Dying to understand it." – Jonathan Alter, NY Times bestselling author of The Center Holds
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication dateJuly 6, 2015
- File size2771 KB
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Product details
- ASIN : B00WKU6FK2
- Publisher : Thought Catalog Books (July 6, 2015)
- Publication date : July 6, 2015
- Language : English
- File size : 2771 KB
- Simultaneous device usage : Unlimited
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 210 pages
- Lending : Enabled
- Best Sellers Rank: #138,722 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #43 in Sociology of Death (Kindle Store)
- #184 in Sociology of Death (Books)
- #517 in Substance Abuse Recovery
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Jason Smith is a graduate from the University of California, Davis, whose work has been published extensively in both online and print media. His eclectic style ranges from personal essays to investigative reporting, drawing on his own personal travels and experiences.
Jason’s pieces have been translated into multiple languages and published in multiple countries, demonstrating his ability to connect with readers across cultural lines. Jason has multiple projects currently in production after being acquired for film rights.
Jason is currently living in Sacramento, California.
Customer reviews
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Regarding to the actual book itself, I actually picked up the book and finished the book in less than 3 hours. It was that good. The Author was very honest regarding facing his "build-up" guilt and the journey of his starting of drug usage journey from an innocent car accident (needing pain medicine for his back) all the way to an addict. --thinking that the drugs was helping him, which he finally realize that it's a fantasy. The Author claimed: "The drug makes him intelligent." I personally think this author is an intelligent individual, it's just he didn't realize it OR he was carrying too much guilt that he didn't see it. Highly recommend this book.
I like the afterword. I would have liked more descriptions about the subjective experience of his withdrawals becauese that’s an important part of addiction. There were other details I felt like he left out too. Note: he’s quite bro-ish. As a gay male I was put off by some of his descriptions of guys who act certain ways. Also, there was a general lack of literary creativity. Maybe that’s not what he was going for, so I don’t mind. As someone who has travelled a lot, I thought it would be a bit more relatable. Still, I commend the author for the courage and strength he has had in order to overcome his addiction!
If you’re looking for another “million little prices”-type novel, you’re probably not going to find it here.
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